As Cincinnati reels from four homicides already in the new year, a local mother still mourning her son is putting out a call for justice.

Arrests have been made in two cases, but two more are still open.

Advertisement

Faith Railey said she knows the pain the victims' families are going through.

She lost her son, 28-year-old James Christopher III, a year ago Sunday. She said he was gunned down on Rutledge Street and no arrests have been made.

Railey and her family decided to hold a vigil in Christopher's honor and called for witnesses to come forward.

"I'm hoping someone speaks up, (that) somebody says something. We could get some kind of clue. I just can't take it anymore because it hurts. I'm just hoping someone speaks up and lets us know," Railey said.

Railey said she's deeply hurt and brought her family to the last place her son lived.

"My son's case has been a whole year open. Its about to go cold case. They've got the suspects, and they're not talking. They know who did it, and they're not talking," father James Christopher II said.

The vigil is meant to bring a bit of piece to them and awareness to the community. The 28-year-old was on Rutledge Avenue just before midnight when shots were fired. No one told police a thing.

Police Chief James Craig announced he's taking action to cut down on violence and will staff 50 extra officers on the streets.

"The core service is making sure we have enough officers in uniform, in police vehicles, responding to calls," Craig said.

Craig believes putting more officers in neighborhoods will mean less crime and more arrests.

The family said they're waiting to see if it will make a difference in the slaying of their loved one.

"Sometimes I have faith that they're going to go out there and get them, and sometimes is, like he said, a cold case," sister Kendra Lewis said.

Other mothers in the Who Killed Our Kids organization joined in the vigil. Before loved ones went home, they released balloons to the man they called Buggie.

"I just miss him. I miss my son," Railey said.

Railey said she hopes the vigil will elicit some new bit of information to help crack the case.